Description
A fresh and hearty kale salad featuring roasted carrot-ginger dressing, crispy roasted chickpeas, colorful vegetables, creamy avocado, dried cranberries, and toasted pepitas. This vibrant salad offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors, perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- ¾ cup chopped carrots
- ⅓ to ½ cup water
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (plus more for sprinkling)
Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 recipe Roasted Chickpeas
Salad
- 1 bunch curly kale (stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small carrot (grated)
- 1 small red beet (grated)
- ½ watermelon radish (very thinly sliced)
- 1 avocado (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pepitas (toasted)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the chopped carrots on one baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until the carrots are soft and tender. Transfer the roasted carrots to a blender and add water, olive oil, rice vinegar, minced fresh ginger, and sea salt. Blend until smooth and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Prepare roasted chickpeas: Using the second baking sheet, prepare the roasted chickpeas according to your preferred recipe or a reliable roasted chickpeas recipe until crispy and golden.
- Massage kale: Place the kale leaves in a large bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and a few pinches of sea salt. Use your hands to massage the kale leaves thoroughly, softening them and reducing their volume by about half, resulting in tender and wilted kale.
- Assemble the salad: Add grated carrot, grated red beet, thinly sliced watermelon radish, half of the cubed avocado, dried cranberries, toasted pepitas, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the massaged kale. Toss all ingredients together to combine evenly.
- Add dressing and toppings: Drizzle the salad generously with the chilled carrot-ginger dressing. Top with the remaining cubed avocado, additional dressing as desired, roasted chickpeas, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- This salad is great for a nutritious and colorful lunch, packed with vitamins, fiber, and protein.
- Massaging the kale is essential to soften its texture and reduce bitterness.
- Roasting the carrots enhances their natural sweetness, making the dressing flavorful and smooth.
- Toasting pepitas and sesame seeds adds a lovely crunch and nutty flavor.
- Prepare roasted chickpeas ahead of time for convenience.
- Adjust seasoning and dressing quantities according to personal taste preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
